As we work to bring even more value to our audience, we’ve made important changes for those who receive Ad Age with our compliments. As of November 15, 2016 we will no longer be offering full digital access to AdAge.com. However, we will continue to send you our industry-leading print issues focused on providing you with what you need to know to succeed.

If you’d like to continue your unlimited access to AdAge.com, we invite you to become a paid subscriber. Get the news, insights and tools that help you stay on top of what’s next.

UFC Parent Company Had Been Seeking Investment for Months

Most Popular

UFC, the premier mixed martial arts promoter, has been sold for about $4 billion to a group led by Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG and backed by private-equity firms Silver Lake Partners LP, KKR & Co. and the investment firm of Michael Dell.

"UFC has experienced tremendous growth over the last decade and we are looking forward to helping the organization and its athletes identify new opportunities to develop and further establish their global footprint," WME co-CEO Ari Emanuel said in a memo.

The deal was first reported by The New York Times.

UFC is owned by brothers Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, who bought the company for $2 million in 2001. Buoyed by fighters such as Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor, UFC has grown into a billion-dollar business that stages sold-out events in arenas around the world, and reaches a pay-per-view audience that now rivals that of boxing's most recent biggest fights.

UFC's parent company is Las Vegas-based Zuffa LLC, which has been seeking an investment for months. UFC President Dana White and an investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government hold a 10% stake in the business.

Related Stories

The sale comes as companies and networks seek opportunities for live content, which is broadcast via not only traditional TV but digital properties, too. UFC launched its digital Fight Pass in 2013, and it also has an agreement with Fox television. UFC also has a reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter."

WME-IMG, created in 2014 when the talent-management agency William Morris Endeavor acquired IMG for $2.4 billion, is looking to expand into areas such as sports and fashion. IMG sells media rights to sporting events, produces and owns events such as New York Fashion Week, and oversees marketing for many U.S. colleges. Silver Lake bought a stake in WME in 2012 and helped finance the deal for IMG.